ray1

a slight indication, esp of something anticipated or hoped for: a ray of solace

3.

(maths) a straight line extending from a point

4.

a thin beam of electromagnetic radiation or particles

5.

any of the bony or cartilaginous spines of the fin of a fish that form the support for the soft part of the fin

6.

any of the arms or branches of a starfish or other radiate animal

7.

(astronomy) any of a number of bright streaks that radiate from the youngest lunar craters, such as Tycho; they are composed of crater ejecta not yet darkened, and extend considerable distances

8.

(botany) any strand of tissue that runs radially through the vascular tissue of some higher plants See medullary ray

verb

9.

(of an object) to emit (light) in rays or (of light) to issue in the form of rays

10.

(intransitive) (of lines, etc) to extend in rays or on radiating paths

11.

(transitive) to adorn (an ornament, etc) with rays or radiating lines

Word Origin

C14: from Old French rai, from Latin radius spoke, radius

ray2

/reɪ/

noun

1.

any of various marine selachian fishes typically having a flattened body, greatly enlarged winglike pectoral fins, gills on the undersurface of the fins, and a long whiplike tail. They constitute the orders Torpediniformes (electric rays) and Rajiformes

Word Origin

C14: from Old French raie, from Latin raia

ray3

/reɪ/

noun

1.

(music) (in tonic sol-fa) the second degree of any major scale; supertonic

Word Origin

C14: see gamut

Ray1

/reɪ/

noun

1.

Cape Ray, a promontory in SW Newfoundland, Canada

Ray2

/reɪ/

noun

1.

John. 1627–1705, English naturalist. He originated natural botanical classification and the division of flowering plants into monocotyledons and dicotyledons

ray

n.

"beam of light," c.1300, from Old French rai (nominative rais) "ray (of the sun), spoke (of a wheel); gush, spurt," from Latin radius "ray, spoke, staff, rod" (see radius). Not common before 17c. [OED]; of the sun, usually in reference to heat (beam being preferred for light). Science fiction ray-gun is first recorded 1931 (but cf. Martian Heat ray weapon in H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds," 1898).

type of fish related to sharks, early 14c., from French raie (13c.), from Latin raia, of unknown origin.